This invention relates generally to joysticks and more particularly it relates to a joystick which can be mounted on a thin panel or a thick panel.
Video games incorporate various controls for the player to manipulate the image displayed on the video screen. One such control is a joystick. Usually the panel on which joysticks are mounted is either 1/8" or 3/4" in thickness.
Joysticks commonly comprise a frame, a shaft pivotally mounted on the frame, an actuator carried by the shaft at one end thereof, a set of microswitches which are selectively engaged by the actuator, and a handle at the outer end of the joystick. The player grasps the handle and pivots the joystick to selectively close and open the switches.
Presently available joysticks cannot be modified to accommodate panels of different thicknesses. Thus, a joystick designed for a thin panel will not project sufficiently above a 3/4" panel to be able to obtain the desired "feel" of the joystick handle. On the other hand, a joystick designed for a 3/4" panel will project too far. As a result, the shaft will pivot too much and, therefore, feel uncomfortable to the player.